It was forwarded to me from a contact at Sun.......from the context of the message, I interpreted as being quite authentic.
/tb > -----Original Message----- > From: Sameer Verma [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2003 12:10 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: [JDEV] FW: DoD Policy on Open Source > > > What's the source of this memo/document? Any references to > the original? > > -- > Dr. Sameer Verma, Ph.D. > Asst. Professor of Information Systems > San Francisco State University > San Francisco CA 94132 USA > http://verma.sfsu.edu/ > > > > Tony Bamonti wrote: > > >>DOD Memo on Open Source software issued last week. > >> > >>john > >> > >> > >> > >> > >------------------------------------------------------------- > --------------- > >- > > > > > >>Defense Department Issues Open Source Policy > >>By Thor Olavsrud <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >>June 3, 2003 > >> > >>The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) last week distributed > a memo putting > >>open source software on a level playing field with > proprietary software > >> > >> > >when > > > > > >>it comes to use within the department, though the memo also > warned that > >>those using open source software (OSS) must comply with > "lawful licensing > >>requirements" and be aware of what those licenses entail. > >> > >>The DoD is a user of both open source and proprietary > software, ranging > >> > >> > >from > > > > > >>Linux and BSD on the open end, to Unices and Windows on the > proprietary > >> > >> > >end. > > > > > >>The memo eases fears that the military might ban use of the > GNU General > >>Public <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/licenses.html#GPL> > License (GPL). > >> > >>Providing a description of open source licenses and licensing > >> > >> > >requirements, > > > > > >>including a specific focus on the GPL, the memo, written by > John Stenbit, > >>chief information officer and assistant secretary for > Command, Control, > >>Communications and Intelligence Defense Department, noted, > "The Linux > >>operating system is an example of an operating system used > in DoD that is > >>licensed under the GPL." > >> > >>Stenbit also used the memo to remind recipients that any > "DoD Components" > >>who acquire, use or develop OSS must make sure that the > software complies > >>with the same DoD policies governing Commercial Off the > Shelf (COTS) and > >>Government Off the Shelf (GOTS) software. > >> > >>"This includes, but is not limited to, the requirements that all > >> > >> > >information > > > > > >>assurance (IA) or IA-enabled IT hardware, firmware and > software components > >>or products incorporated into DoD information systems, > whether acquired or > >>originated within DoD: 1. Comply with the evaluation and > >><http://niap.nist.gov/niap/library/nstissp_11.pdf> validation > >> > >> > >requirements > > > > > >>of National Security Telecommunications and Information > Systems Security > >>Policy Number 11, and; 2. be configured in accordance with > DoD-approved > >>security configuration guidelines available at > http://iase.disa.mil/ and > >>http://www.nsa.gov/."; > >> > >>Stenbit also urged anyone considering OSS within DoD to > understand the > >>ramifications of its use. "DoD Components acquiring, using > or developing > >> > >> > >OSS > > > > > >>must comply with all lawful licensing requirements," he said. "As > >> > >> > >licensing > > > > > >>provisions may be complex, the DoD Components are strongly > encouraged to > >>consult their legal counsel to ensure that the legal > implications of the > >>particular license are fully understood." > >> > >>Open source licenses often require modifiers and > distributors of the code > >> > >> > >to > > > > > >>make their source code available, publish a copyright > notice, place a > >>disclaimer of warranty on distributed copies and give > recipients of the > >>program a copy of the license. The GPL, which governs the Linux open > >> > >> > >source > > > > > >>operating platform, is a particularly strict open source > license which > >>requires anyone that distributes code they have modified to make the > >> > >> > >source > > > > > >>code available when distributing the original binary code > or derivatives. > >> > >>------------- End Forwarded Message ------------- > >> > >> > >_______________________________________________ > >jdev mailing list > >[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > jdev mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev > _______________________________________________ jdev mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mailman.jabber.org/listinfo/jdev
